1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fire safety devices, and particularly to a fire extinguishing ball that can be safely deployed into difficult to reach areas.
2. Description of the Related Art
When one is faced with a fire emergency, one of the most difficult and dangerous aspects of combating the fire is being able to approach close enough to effectively extinguish the flames with whatever means are available. In most situations, it may be relatively safe to hose down a burning building or domicile with water or fire extinguishing chemicals from a distance. However, firefighters oftentimes must charge into the burning building in their attempts to rescue survivors. In this scenario, firefighters face many hazards, such as smoke, backdrafts and potential falling debris. Even if a survivor is reached, rescue may not be possible due to surrounding fire. The surrounding fire may be located in a place where the conventional fire hose cannot reach or so vigorous that a conventional fire extinguisher will be ill suited to handle the flames.
Similar issues can also occur in industrial sites. While most large-scale industrial fires can be relatively easy to reach, other small-scale or localized fires can occur in areas where it is difficult or even impossible to reach by conventional means, e.g., ducts for air and wires.
Many fire-fighting devices have been proposed which will help combat the fires in the above examples to a degree. Some examples include the conventional fire extinguisher mentioned above and explosive devices that contain fire-extinguishing agents. With respect to the fire extinguisher, this device is typically heavy and cumbersome requiring much physical effort to carry and operate. Moreover, they require expert periodic inspection and maintenance. With respect to the explosive devices, they can be costly and difficult to manufacture due to the materials and processes used to make them safe for normal use, e.g., the shell is usually made from materials that will not turn into shrapnel upon explosion. Oftentimes, special care must be exercised when using such devices.
In light of the above, it would be a benefit in the fire fighting arts to provide a fire-extinguishing device that can be easily and safely deployed in typically inaccessible areas. Thus, a fire extinguishing ball solving the aforementioned problems is desired.